Deploying a VR workstation and molecular visualization at Caltech library

Abstract

Virtual Reality (VR) technol. has great potential to improve mol. visualization, among other valuable applications. The Caltech Library has made VR available to campus via a workstation that is available to all campus users. The workstation is located in a reservable conference room, and users can check out the key to the locked cart that contains a HTC Vive headset. The workstation supports both com. software via Steam and custom development of applications. Mol. visualization of proteins is used as a custom development example: visualizing a protein in VMD, adding it to an environment in Unity, and then looking at the protein in VR. This talk will discuss the hardware and software choices made for the Library setup, the logistics of running a VR system at a campus library, successful outreach strategies, and how chem. applications are a key component of VR services.